Encouraging a talent & house project update!

Having an only child, I can't say for sure, but I've heard from parents of multiple kids that each one's personality emerges pretty early, whether it's an aptitude for reading or math or social graces.

My Mom tells me I wrote my first poem at age 5. I was always writing.

The other day I went through Brady's room tidying up and found notebook after notebook FULL of numbers, written in all sorts of ways, so who knows what he was coming up with as he wrote them. I've never heard of a kid at age 6 and 7 who filled notebooks with numbers.

I also find notes about various inventions. It will surprise me if he is not a mathematician, scientist, architect or engineer someday.

So... it is my joy and goal to always indulge him and encourage him in his natural pursuits. I think that is a wonderful gift a parent can give a child. See who they are, what they love, what's important to them and not only encourage it but participate in it with them.

I am a writer by trade, most of my life has been spent writing for a living. But for about 6 years in there, I changed everything and pursued science. I got a degree in Earth science and worked for the U.S. Geological Survey in Florida, the oceanography department at the University of South Carolina and the stormwater division of Richland County, SC.

I had to work at science. It didn't come easy, but I just absolutely adored it. So fortunately for Brady and I, I enjoy his pursuits as much as he does!

To that end, we are continuing work on Brady's big house idea. It now has one wall, a brick floor and the frame for the roof.

We are also mining an old brick railroad platform. There's Brady to the left after devising totally on his own a 2-stick method of carrying bricks. We have also used chiseling and leverage with a railroad spike to mine the bricks and a wagon to haul them back.

He absolutely adores this. I'm glad the weather is cooperating. I also love it when something serves multiple purposes and this does. It's exercise, it's outdoor time, it's together time and it fuels his love of building, creating, using science.

He keeps me young and challenged and active and learning. And that is his gift to me.